The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Causing to Stumble
6“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Parable of the Wandering Sheep
10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 1118:11 Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10.
12“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Dealing With Sin in the Church
15“If your brother or sister18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35. sins,18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’18:16 Deut. 19:15 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be18:18 Or will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be18:18 Or will have been loosed in heaven.
19“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.18:22 Or seventy times seven
23“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages. was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2). He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
天国里谁最伟大
1这时，门徒上前来，问耶稣：“在天国谁最伟大？”
2耶稣叫了一个小孩子来站在他们当中，然后说： 3“我实在告诉你们，你们若不回转，变得像小孩子那样，绝不能进天国。 4所以，凡像这小孩子一样谦卑的人，在天国才是最伟大的。
5“谁为了我的名接待这样一个小孩子，就是接待我。 6不论谁使这样一个小信徒失足犯罪，他的下场比把大磨石拴在他脖子上沉到深海里还要惨。 7这世界有祸了！因为里面充满了引人犯罪的事。这样的事是免不了的，但引人犯罪的人有祸了！
8“如果你的手或脚使你犯罪，就把它砍下来扔掉！肢体残缺着进入永生，胜过四肢健全却被扔进永远不灭的火中。 9如果你的一只眼睛使你犯罪，就剜出来丢掉它！独眼进入永生，胜过双目健全却被扔进地狱的火中。 10你们切不可轻视任何一位卑微的人。我告诉你们，他们的天使在天上常见我天父的面。
迷失的羊
11“人子到世界来是要拯救迷失的人。18:11 有古卷无11节。 12如果一个人有一百只羊，其中有一只走迷了路，你们认为他会怎么办呢？难道不会把那九十九只撇在山上，去找那只迷失的羊吗？ 13我实在告诉你们，如果找到了，他会非常欢喜，甚至比有那九十九只没有迷失的羊还欢喜。 14同样，你们的天父也不愿任何一个卑微的人失丧。
纠正信徒的过错
15“如果你的弟兄得罪了你，你要找个机会跟他单独在一起，指出他的错处。如果他肯接受劝告，你就赢得了你的弟兄。 16如果他不听，你就带一两位弟兄去见他，这样任何事有两三个证人作证才能定案。18:16 申命记19:15。 17如果他仍然不听，你就应当告诉教会。如果他连教会也不听，你就把他看作异教徒或税吏18:17 “税吏”即犹太人眼中的“汉奸”，帮助统治犹太人的罗马政府收税，常从中牟取暴利。。 18我实在告诉你们，你们在地上捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑；你们在地上释放的，在天上也要释放。
19“况且，我实在告诉你们，如果你们当中有两个人在地上同心合意地祈求，不论求什么，我天上的父必为你们成就。 20因为哪里有两三个人奉我的名聚会，我就在哪里与他们同在。”
七十个七次
21那时，彼得上前问耶稣：“主啊，如果我的弟兄得罪了我，我该饶恕他多少次呢？七次够了吧？”
22耶稣回答说：“我告诉你，不是七次，是七十个七次。
23“因此，天国就像一个王，他要跟奴仆清算债务。 24正开始清算的时候，有人带着一个欠了六千万银币18:24 “六千万银币”希腊文是“一万他连得”，一他连得相当于当时一个普通工人20年的工钱。的人进来。 25因为这个人无法清还债款，主人就下令把他及其妻儿和所有财产全部卖掉还债。 26那奴仆跪在王面前乞求说，‘请宽容我，我会把债务全部还清的。’ 27主人可怜他，不但释放了他，而且免了他全部的债。
28“可是，那奴仆出去后，遇见一位欠他一百个银币18:28 一个银币相当于当时普通工人一天的工钱。的同伴，就揪住他，掐着他的喉咙说，‘还我钱！’ 29同伴跪下哀求道，‘请宽容我，我会还你的。’
30“那奴仆却不肯，竟把同伴送进监狱，直到他还清债务为止。 31其他奴仆目睹这一切，都愤愤不平，就去把这件事告诉了主人。
32“于是，主人把那奴仆召来，说，‘你这可恶的奴才！你哀求我，我就免了你所有的债。 33难道你不应该怜悯你的同伴，就像我怜悯你一样吗？’ 34主人大怒，把他交给狱卒受刑，直到他还清全部的债务。 35如果你们每个人不从心里饶恕自己的弟兄，我的天父也要这样对待你们。”
